Young women from low-income families can have a chance to improve their lives as RAFI Microfinance Inc. (RAFI MFI) and the Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD) have joined hands to give these young women an opportunity to become successful micro-entrepreneurs. The partnership was officially launched through a Memorandum of Agreement signing on November 4, 2021, Thursday between Elizabeth Lopez, School Director of Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD) and Jonar Dorado, Chief Operating Officer of RAFI Micro-Finance Inc. (RAFI MFI).
“RAFI MFI and BCPD will work together to implement the program to help these young women to embark from a journey of education to becoming self-employed micropreneurs,” said Jonar B. Dorado, RAFI MFI chief operating officer.
RAFI Micro-Finance Chief Operating Officer Mr. Jonar B. Dorado
Dorado said that RAFI MFI and the BCPD would provide these young women beneficiaries training, mentoring and livelihood opportunities that could help uplift their lives from poverty.
“We are very grateful with our partnership with RAFI Micro-finance Inc. because BCPD graduates are assured to break the cycle of poverty within the family and uplift their living condition through the various programs of RAFI,” said Elizabeth Lopez, BCPD School Director.
BCPD School Director Elizabeth Lopez
RAFI Micro-Finance Vice President for Business Development Ms. Iris Dorado
Lopez said that the partnership will serve as a vehicle for them to become an entrepreneur using the skills they learned from BCPD. RAFI MFI will also give them the opportunity to undergo On-the-Job Training to help them eventually get employed.
RAFI MFI will give them access to its Clustering Livelihood program where livelihood starter kits will be provided, opening them to RAFI MFI’s financial and non-financial services that will help their starter enterprises off the ground.
Aside from that, RAFI MFI will also engage the beneficiaries to choose a viable and socially sound starter enterprise that they can sustain. They will also provide qualified scholars and beneficiaries access to the Mauswagon loans, which can help them with the needed capital for their planned small business undertakings.
Aside from that, beneficiaries of the program will also be given assistance in terms of guidance or “handholding” and market linkages such as the one offered in RAFI MFI’s Clustering for Livelihood program specifically for BCPD alumnae.
BCPD Vice Director for External and Alumnae Affairs Ms. Charisma Castro
BCPD, on the other hand, will provide the Tesda-accredited training and mentor the program’s scholars and beneficiaries so that they would have the know-how to help them sustain their livelihood.
This partnership intends to support, facilitate, and implement the mutually agreed programs that elevate the lives of the clients and beneficiaries of both organization in the common areas of operation.
More information can be found at RAFI MFI’s official Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/rafimicrofinance/ or contact Ms. Pia Seno at 0917 772 9296 or email at pia.seno@rafi.ph
About RAFI Micro-Finance Inc.
The Microfinance Program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI-MFI) provides financial and non-financial services to micro-entrepreneurs with a mission of elevating lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities through stable and rewarding livelihood.
Know more about RAFI by visiting https://www.rafi.org.ph/.
About BCPD
Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD) is an approved Dep Ed Stand Alone Senior High School and a technical vocational institution registered under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) that offers qualifications in Hotel and Restaurant Services (HRS) – Tourism sector. In the two-year HRS post-secondary course, BCPD provides skills training, work values formation and industry experience to financially-challenged young women in order to prepare them for gainful employment or entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, majority become breadwinners of their families redeeming them from poverty.
BCPD Mission is preparing young women for employment or entrepreneurship and higher educational attainment through academic-technical skills training and work ethics imbued with Christian values.
Know more about BCPD by visiting https://www.bcpd.edu.ph/.
